Written Answers Nos. 1243 to 1266
1243. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding for primary schools and post-primary schools in counties Longford and Westmeath for the period from 2008 to date in 2015, in respect of each year, as well as the details-percentages of where the funding was allocated. [31063/15]
View answerThe following table details the capital funding issued to Longford and Westmeath schools (primary and post-primary) from 2008 to the end of August, 2015.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown per school on a percentage basis. However, if the Deputy wishes to nominate a specific school, I would be happy to provide the level of capital funding issued in such an instance.
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 YTD End Aug |
|
|
Primary Longford Expenditure |
4,656,998.03 |
3,428,271.38 |
2,819,214.51 |
1,747,641.89 |
631,410.14 |
2,871,631.66 |
4,447,487.73 |
2,584,448.30 |
|
Primary Westmeath Expenditure |
21,093,690.42 |
4,312,560.22 |
7,178,414.59 |
4,757,621.42 |
1,536,748.46 |
2,608,001.09 |
6,470,702.65 |
3,655,648.75 |
|
Post Primary Longford Expenditure |
683,441.72 |
1,764,891.11 |
2,101,451.01 |
880,295.42 |
602,165.25 |
459,209.37 |
448,369.67 |
1,349,314.10 |
|
Post Primary Westmeath Expenditure |
2,346,295.79 |
2,865,997.87 |
2,114,593.25 |
3,360,417.50 |
4,234,853.40 |
1,899,603.01 |
1,367,215.15 |
775,564.10 |
1244. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 14 October 2014, the progress on the development of guidance for schools on the issue of obesity; the position in respect of the pilot initiatives Get Active and Points for Life that took place in schools in the last academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31077/15]
View answerMy Department is involved in a number of measures to promote the overall Government 'Healthy Ireland' agenda which is led by the Department of Health. Healthy Lifestyle Guidance for post primary schools was circulated recently. This guidance was drafted in consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE and encompasses measures to promote healthy eating, healthy vending, as well as the promotion of Physical Education (PE) and Physical Activity. Guidance will issue to primary schools before the end of the year.
There are a number of initiatives to further promote physical activity. P.E. is an integral part of the primary curriculum. There will be a general consultation on the overall primary curriculum in early 2016. At post primary level, PE will form part of the compulsory 'Wellbeing' component of Junior Cycle to commence in 2017. In addition, the NCCA is finalising a new PE curriculum framework for senior cycle.
The 'Points for Life' pilot project and the Get Active programme have informed a new CPD programme which is currently being developed by the Professional Development Support Service for Teachers (PDST). The programme is a 3 year plan for professional development programme for primary and post primary teachers in P.E. The initial focus of this professional support will be on developing fundamental movement skills and building the knowledge, skills and capacity of teachers to meet the physical literacy needs of learners through the P.E. curriculum.
My Department is participating in the cross Departmental group that is responsible for developing the National Physical Activity Plan. This group, which is co-chaired by the Department of Health and the Department of Transport, is currently finalising the National Plan. The Plan will contain a range of measures to promote physical activity across society, including in the education sector. My Department is also represented on a number of key 'Healthy Ireland' structures. These include the Special Advisory Group on Obesity (SAGO).
My Department is participating in the cross Departmental group that is responsible for developing the National Physical Activity Plan. This group, which is co-chaired by the Department of Health and the Department of Transport, is currently finalising the National Plan. The Plan will contain a range of measures to promote physical activity across society, including in the education sector.
1245. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Bus Éireann cannot go off-route to collect school children under the school transport scheme without the prior approval of her Department; the reason her Department will not accept any such application for re-routing unless there is a minimum of ten additional pupils to be collected; that this means that the most newly approved primary school children in rural Ireland cannot be collected at home due to the small enrolment numbers; her views that this may be inadvertently discriminating against children from rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31145/15]
View answerThe purpose of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 2.4 kilometres to or from a pick up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
1246. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has identified a site for the new Cork Educate Together Secondary School, which her Department has indicated is intended to be located in the Cork south suburbs within the functional area of Cork County Council; if her Department has engaged with Cork County Council as the planning authority, in connection with seeking planning; when her Department intends to inform Educate Together and the local parents planning committee that a site has been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31166/15]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in 2012. This Memorandum of Understanding fosters increased levels of co-operation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use.
In that context, my Department has worked closely with Cork County Council towards acquiring a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. The acquisition of the site in question is currently being progressed. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for my Department and the patron body Educate Together will be informed of the location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
To facilitate the commencement of the school in September 2016 the Department has identified a suitable property for temporary use and officials from my Department will be meeting shortly with the patron body, Educate Together, to discuss arrangements in relation to this.
1247. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the loss of a teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; if she will take cognisance of a petition (details supplied) which outlines the current dilemma; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31170/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Circular 0005/2015 provides details for schools wishing to make an appeal. The final meeting of the Appeals Board to consider staffing appeals for the 2015/16 school year will take place in October, 2015. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 78 pupils on 30 September 2014 and under the published staffing arrangements is entitled to 3 classroom teachers in the current school year.
1248. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a special needs assistant for a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31171/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are allocated to Special Schools and to mainstream Primary and Post Primary schools to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website www.education.ie, sets out my Department's policy in relation to the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme. The Circular explains that SNA support is not provided to pre-school services which operate outside of the primary or special school provision.
I can advise the Deputy however that the vast majority of supports for childcare, including pre-school education, is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides for early learning in a formal setting to children in the year before they commence primary school.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) currently provides for care support for pupils with special needs attending a range of HSE funded pre-schools. As such, questions relating to provision of such services should be addressed to the HSE, or to my colleague, the Minister for Health.
1249. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons from Dublin 24 in receipt of the home school tuition grant; and the number of applicants who proceed to tuition. [31209/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement and provision is made for early educational intervention for children with autism.
In the school year 2014/2015 34 pupils were approved for home tuition with an address in the Dublin 24 area.
The further information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of these pupils who proceeded to tuition is not readily available. However, my officials are currently compiling the detail requested which will then be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
1250. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the home school tuition grant, the length of time taken from approval to payment of the grant. [31210/15]
View answer1278. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there was a change to the payment grant system that children diagnosed with autism have access to, resulting in applied behaviour analysis home tutors having to wait as long as 12 weeks for payment after the hours of tuition have been delivered. [31348/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1250 and 1278 together.
The purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school, for children with special educational needs awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism.
The change in the payment arrangements from September 2015 is on foot of a direction from the Revenue Commissioners that payments under the Home Tuition Scheme are subject to statutory deductions at source.
Under the new arrangements, the Department will act as payroll agents only on behalf of the parents/guardians and will issue payment of the home tuition grant directly to the approved tutor via the Department's Non- Teaching Staff payroll.
It is envisaged that the payment claim forms for home tuition will be received at the end of each and every month in which the tuition is provided. The claims received will be processed and paid via the Non-teaching Staff payroll which operates on a fortnightly basis.The Department will endeavour to ensure that the processing time of claims is kept to a minimum.
A detailed information and FAQ on the changes in the payment method for home tutors under the Departments Home Tuition Scheme for children with special educational needs is available on the Department website.
1251. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of funding allocated for the home school tuition grant that is being used. [31211/15]
View answerThe purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school, for children with special educational needs awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism and all the funds allocated to this scheme are fully utilised.
The cost to the Department to operate the home tuition scheme in 2014 was € 10.9m.
1252. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a Departmental scholarship (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31214/15]
View answerMy Department has just sent copies of its 2016 commemorative programme in a Circular to all schools. The Circular details a wide range of initiatives designed to appropriately commemorate and reflect upon the 1916 rising and its leaders. My Department has a range of over twenty initiatives, competitions, awards and resource-development projects in train, all of which are detailed in the Circular. I will be launching the Department's 2016 programme on September 22nd next, with the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys.
We plan to award prizes to honour the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation. These prizes will be awarded to the seven top-performing students in Junior Certificate History in 2016. Another initiative is the All-Island schools Decade of Centenaries history competition, which will be an annual event up to 2022.
1253. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding registration with the Irish Teaching Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31222/15]
View answer1282. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of difficulties being encountered by teachers who qualified abroad in being registered with the Teaching Council; if she will ensure that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17 can be registered with the Teaching Council; and the reason for the delay with the Teaching Council in progressing this registration in view on information supplied. [31436/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1253 and 1282 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, since 2006, under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession.
The Council is obliged under the terms of EU Directive 2005/36/EC to grant registration to teachers who have completed 'regulated education and training' and are deemed fully qualified as a teacher under the terms of the Directive in another EU/EEA Member State. The Council published requirements in this area in a notice of compliance with the Directive in May 2010.
The processing time for an application for registration varies on the type of application and whether an assessment of qualifications is required (to determine if the qualification(s) meet the Council's registration criteria). Applicants including newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who have provided full documentation and have completed the Garda Vetting process at the time of application are typically registered within one/two weeks of the date of application. However in cases where requested documentation remains outstanding, where qualification(s) assessment is required, where the outcome of the Garda Vetting process is not returned in a timely manner, or where the Evidence of Character Panel is required to consider the outcome of the Garda Vetting process, the registration process may be considerably longer.
The Council processes applications from teachers who have completed their initial teacher education qualifications in other EU Member States under the terms of Council Directive 2005/36/EC. The processing timeframes for such applications are set out under Article 51 of said Directive and the Council endeavours to remain compliant with the stated timeframes.
I understand that the teacher to whom the Deputies refer is conditionally registered with the Teaching Council with effect from 8 September 2015.
1254. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding Caranua and an individual application to the Residential Institutions Redress Board. [31227/15]
View answer1255. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the impact of the cessation of benefits to the family of a survivor of institutional abuse. [31228/15]
View answer1256. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 was designed to limit, on purely administrative grounds, the number of people eligible to access essential resources, reducing costs and that section 3 of the Act which defines the term former resident as somebody who availed of a particular Government scheme, not as a person actually resident in a particular institution, is in need of urgent amendment; and her plans in this regard. [31229/15]
View answer1268. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to acknowledge and compensate the many survivors of child abuse who are continuing to suffer in part as a result of their inability to access the Caranua scheme. [31254/15]
View answer1312. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the Caranua fund, with particular reference to extending the scheme to cover the children of survivors for the benefit of the survivor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31659/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1254 to 256, inclusive, 1268 and 1312 together.
Eligibility for assistance from Caranua (the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund) is confined to those who received awards from the Residential Institutions Redress Board or equivalent Court awards or settlements. Relatives of survivors of abuse are not eligible to receive support from Caranua. This approach was taken having regard to the maximum funds available of €110 million and a potential pool of some 15,000 applicants. I am satisfied that that approach was the correct one. This approach differs from that which applied in the case of the now dissolved Education Finance Board which was financed by the €12.7 million contribution provided by the religious congregations under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement specifically earmarked for educational support for former residents and their families.
As I explained to the Deputy in replies to previous Parliamentary Questions replies I intend to consider the question of a review of the arrangements relating to eligibility later this year by which time a clearer picture should have emerged regarding the uptake of the funding available.
The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 to provide fair and reasonable financial awards to victims of institutional childhood abuse. The closing date for receipt of applications was 15th December 2005. The Board could however accept late applications in exceptional circumstances, up until September 2011. The Board is currently finalising the remaining applications it received and will be dissolved shortly thereafter. I do not propose to establish any further redress scheme for persons who may have suffered institutional abuse as children.
Former residents who are not eligible for assistance from Caranua may be entitled to avail of services provided by other statutory bodies. Survivors can, for example, avail of the National Counselling Service operated by the Health Service Executive which offers counselling and psychotherapy services to those who have experienced trauma and abuse in childhood with priority given to survivors of institutional abuse.
